A real dilemma
The old adage of “beware of what you wish for” has finally come to bite me in the butt. Like everyone else, I have my idea of the ideal job, and that ideal job isn’t quite the one I have now.
Don’t get me wrong. I have a great job and I am treated well. The work environment is excellent, I like my coworkers, and I think my boss is outstanding. I’m not just saying to be a kiss up on the off chance the managers read the rubbish that I post. I really believe it, and it makes my job ten times more fun.
There’s a job I’ve been thinking about for years. It didn’t exist, but I was sure it would someday. Well, today an announcement for that job came out. This opportunity won’t come again for a long time and it’s the chance to do exactly what I’ve always wanted to. I believe I would be a competitive candidate.
The problem is that experience has taught me that status, responsibilities, and pay have practically nothing to do with how much I like a job — it’s all about how the place is run and who I work with. I fully expect the new environment would be pretty decent, but I can’t imagine it being as good as what I have.
However, I think it is good for people to do different things. I also think it is good for organizations to take on new people even though the ones that are currently there are fine. I’ve always believed that regular turnover promotes exchange of ideas and prevents intellectual inbreeding.
At the same time, the idea of applying for this job offends my sense of loyalty. The State Library took a risk on me years ago, and they’ve always been good to me. On the other hand, I’ve always promised both them and myself that I wouldn’t stagnate. This might be my best chance at preventing that.
Whatever the case, I have a couple weeks to decide. Normally, I make up my mind very quickly, but I could really use some time for this.